Container



' Oct. 2, 1923.

J. WHITING ET AL CONTAINER Filed May 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. WHlTlNG ET AL CONTAINER Filed May 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JASPER wnirnve, or Bos'ron, AND PHILIP wanswon'rn, or Micron, massacmrsnrrs.

CONTAINER.

Application filed/May 19, 1921. Serial No. 470,858. .r.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JASPER WHITING and PHILIP WADSVVORTH, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, 'at Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, and at Milton, county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Containers, of which the following is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to containers which are designed to be tightly closed, such as cans, boxes, trunks, vaults, and similar enclosures. In containers of this type as ordinarily made, and especially those having hinged covers, it is difficult to make an air tight closure at the opening in the container. At the .same time such a closure is desired for many purposes, particularly when the container is to be used to store materials 'that would be injuredby moisture, dust, vermin, etc., or which contain a volatile element that would escape unless the materials were kept in an absolutely tight enclosure. Such a container also is desirable for holding materials such, for instance, as tobacco, cigars, and the like, which should be kept in an atmosphere of relatively constant humidity.

With. these considerations in view, it' is the chief object of the present invention to devise a container of the general character indicated which will have an air tight closure that can be moved readily to open thev container or to close and seal it again. It is also an object of the invention to devise an article of this general character which can be economically manufactured and which shall be of sturdy and substantial construction.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 1s a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical cross section, showing a container constructed in accordance with this invention; and I Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line --2. Fig. 1.

ring movement on the cover.

The construction shown comprises a sheet metal box, the lower or body portion of which is designated at 2. The upper part of each wall of this box is folded over, as indicated at 3, to form a horizontal shoulder 4. Below this shoulder the metal is bent .toward the wallor side of the box and is soldered thereto at 5.

The cover 6 of the box is of the usual construction except that the central portion of the cover is preferably depressed as indicated at 7, and this cover is hinged to the rear-- ward side of the box at 8, Fig. 2. When the cover is in its closed position the lower edge of its downwardly turned margin may rest on the external shoulder 4 of the box, and means is provided to draw this cover firmly down on the shoulder. In the construction shown a fastening means of the toggle type has been used for this purpose.

This fastening device comprises a U- shaped metal strap 10 pivoted to the front edge of the cover at 11, and also pivotally connected by means of a pin 12 to a handle or lever 13 having a point or toe 14 to enter a recess 15 formed in a. bracket '16 that is riveted to the front of the box. This "device is shown in Fig. 2 holding the cover in its closed position, and it will be seen that when the'handle 13 is swung toward the left it will pivot on the point 14, thus causing the pin 12 to swing upwardly and thereby release the cover. A swinging movement of the handle in the opposite direction operates through these parts to exert a powerful clos- No novelty, however, is claimed in this particular fastenin means and it may be replaced by any ot er suitable fastening device.

It will be observed that the cover 6 does.

not close the top of the box tightly, and for the purpose of performing this function a closure plate or inner cover 18, preferably made of resilient material such as sheet steel or brass, is secured to the central depressed portion 7 of the cover 6 by means of bolts 19-19. When the cover' is closed the margin of this plate 18 overlies the edge 3 of the open top of the container and this marginal part is preferably rooved to receive a gasket made of rubber, cork, or any other suitable material. This gasket preferably is cemented in the groove in the margin of theplate 18. The heads of the bolts 191 J are soldered to the plate 18 or tight joints are formed between these bolts and the plate.

1 will be sprung upwardly, as shown in the drawings, thus causing the plate to press the gasket 20 firmly against the upper edge 3 of the container and thereby make an air tight joint at this edge. If the cover 6v is made of resilient material, both the resilien'cy of this part and also that of the plate 18 will be utilized in pressing the gasket 20 firmly against the edge 3.

' It will be seen that the depression of the central portion 7. of the cover provides ample space for the yielding movement of the plate 18 and the depth of this depression or ofiset may be made such that it will be impossible to spring the plate 18 far enough to permanently distort it. One or more shims 21 may be placed between the plate 18 and the depressed portion 7 of the cover to increase the range of movement of the mar-- ginal portion of the closure plate if desired. t will also be observed that the rearward edge of the opening in the top of the box is set inwardly by reason of the ofi'set 22, Fig. 2, and that, due to this construction and the position of the hinge 8 relatively to the adj acent part of the edge 3, the gasket 20 will come into contact substantially simultaneously with all parts of the edge 3 so that an approximately uniform flexure of the entire margin of the plate is produced.

till) Thls invention thus provides a closure construction for containers andenclosures which is of very simple form, is economical to manufacture, and is very efiective. The invention considered in its broader aspects may be embodied in many forms,'each hav- 7 ing its own advantages. For instance, the

closure may be substantially rigid and be yieldingly held in its closed position, the.

resiliency of the cover for action, or, the closure itself may be resilient and the cover or other supporting means therefor may be rigid. In other constructions, also, both the closure and its support may be resilient. In some construct ons the closure and cover may have a certain portion or portions in coon. That is, the closure may consist of a marginal strip shaped to fit over the edge of the opendepended upon mg in the container and the central portion of the closure may be formed by the cover itself. The invention thus may be variously i What is claimed as new is:

eanne? modified and the design'used in any indi-f vidual case-will necessarily be controlled as to some particulars by the nature of the container on which the closure is used.

1. A container having an opening therein, an outer cover for said opening, an inner cover attached to and abutting said outer cover within the marginal portion of the inner cover but'leaving said marginal portion spaced therefrom, one of said covers being resilient, and means for holding said outer cover in its closed position with said inner cover closing said ope.

2. A container having an opening therein, an outer cover for said openin afresilient inner cover attached 'to and a utting said outer cover within the marginalportion of the inner cover but leaving said marginal portion spaced therefrom, andmeans for olding said outer cover in its closed position with said inner cover closing said opening.

3. A container having an opening therein, a hinged outer cover for said opening, an innercover attached to and abuttin said outer cover within the marginal portion of the inner cover butdeaving its marginal portion spaced therefrom, one of said covers being resilient, and means for holding said outer cover in its closed position with said inner cover closing said opening.

d. A container having an opening therein, a hinged outer cover for said opening, av

resilient inner cover attached to and abutting said outer cover within the marginal portion of the inner cover but leaving said marginal portion spaced therefrom, and means for holding said outercover' in its closed position with said inner cover closing said opening.

- 5. A container having an ope therein, an'outer cover forsaid opening, and an inner cover attached to and abutting said outer cover within the marginal portion of the inner cover but leaving said marginal portion spaced therefrom, one of said covers being resilient, said marginal portion being adapted to make a sealingcontact with the edges of the opening when the outer pover is closed, and said outer cover hein god to the container on a line ofiset atery from the edge'of the opening so'as to produce an approximately uniform pressure on all the marginal portion of the inner cover when the outer cover is closed.

' 6. A container having an opening therein,

an outer cover for said ope, a resilient inner cover having its margin spaced fiom said, outer cover and being attached to and abutting gin, said outer cover being d-to the container on a line laterallyofi'set from the ed ofthe ope.

lat conta ner having an open top, an

said outer cover within said marouter cover hinged to said container to for holdin said outer cover in its closed swing into either an open or closed position, position, w ereby the marginal portion of 10 a resilient inner cover for closing said open said inner cover is held yieldingly against top, said outer cover having a depressed the edge of said top.

5 central part attached to and abutting said In testimony whereof we have signed our inner cover within the marginal portion of names to this :1 cifi ation, the latter, said marginal portion being free J SPER WHITING. to yield toward said outer cover, and means 11:"! I I P WADSWORTH. 

